Legend of Final Destiny: Severed Bonds
by Chaos-Paladin
Summary: Sequel to Final Destiny: Fateful Gathering. The adventure continues as Ash and friends journey to recover the lost fragments of an ancient and deadly power. Alliances are forged, secrets are revealed, and Ash and the gang go through harsh trials that not only test their strength and resolve, but threatens to shatter their faith and bonds with each other. AAML
1. Chapter 1

**WARNING**: If you haven't read "Final Destiny: Fateful Gathering", go read that first, as this will contain **heavy spoilers** for the previous installment. You have been warned. Enjoy the story and be sure to drop a positive or negative review with your thoughts on the story.

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"Did...you just say I could bring Satoshi back?" Ash asked, swearing he misheard Soma.

"Not easy, but it could be done. Only if you take my offer." Soma kicked back on this bed, eyes closed as he waited for Ash's answer.

Ash desperately wanted to believe such a miracle was true. If there was even the smallest chance of making it possible, Ash would do whatever it took to make it happen. However, there was a glaring issue he could not deny. One that forced him to pull back from the two viziers and take a deep breath. He was getting ahead of himself. Too many questions needed answering, the most pressing one being the fact Soma was the one who killed Satoshi and put his friends through so much misery.

"Not so fast, Soma." The memories of that fateful moment flooded Ash's mind. He could vividly picture Satoshi's last moments, turning Ash's expression and tone cold. "You're the one who killed him. You're the one who caused all of this to happen. Why should I trust you? Why would you even want to help me?"

"You don't have a reason to trust me and I couldn't give less of a damn if you did. If I had a choice, I would either silence you all or leave you kids to cry yourselves to sleep. But you can blame Zansei for the offer; it was his idea."

"Man, putting me on the spot like that..." Leaning against the wall, the dark haired vizier sighed. "What we're doing is pretty top secret, so I can't tell you everything right now. But what I can say for sure is that your plan and our plan share some common ground. We both want to keep the shards out of the bad guy's hands. Letting you run around playing hero puts not only you at risk, but everyone around you."

"In other words, you're a liability we need to keep an eye on." Soma interjected, earning another sigh from Zansei.

"You didn't have to say it like that. We're all on same team here."

Ash scowled, hands curled into a fist. It was clear they wanted to keep him on a short leash. Worst case scenario, they wanted to use him for some scheme. He wanted to tell them off and leave it at that, but this was likely to be his only chance at learning more about what was going on. He needed more information, especially on the matter of Satoshi. Soma was definitely not helping with his blunt attitude. "What do you mean by joining you? What would I be forced to do if I agreed?"

"Everything we tell you to do, even if it means killing someone or-"

"Soma, enough." Zansei shot a glare at Soma, who preceded to glare back.

"Don't tell me what to do, boy."

"Look, just let me do the talking. Even you gotta admit we need all the help we can get. Don't be a hard ass just because this guy kicked your arrogant ass."

Ash expected Soma to leap from his bed and thrash Zansei for the comment. Instead, the man scoffed and returned to resting with his eyes closed. "Tch, do whatever the hell you want. Wake me up when we finally get somewhere."

Zansei wore a wry, apologetic grin. "Sorry about that. The guy's still sore that you made hell of a comeback win. I'm personally amazed considering he outright thrashed all three of you not too long ago."

"Don't remind me..." Ash groaned. It would take a lot of effort to forget the beatdown Soma gave them. In his painful walk down memory lane, the word liability rang through his mind. Since he started picking up those shards, danger had been at his heels. His normal adventures were treacherous enough as it is, but all this stuff about magic and strange creatures entirely different from pokemon started with those shards. What would he do if they met another Soma down the line and got beaten up again? But at the same time, he could not bring himself to trust the viziers after all the hell they put Ash and his friends through.

"Your face says it all. You don't trust us one bit. You probably think we're lying about Satoshi and are just trying to use you, right?" Ash stayed silent. "I can't blame you. Anyone in your position would feel the same way. I know we've given you a lot of grief, but I swear to you we're not the bad guys here. I understand how you feel about us, but-"

"No Zansei, I don't think you really understand how I feel. How my friends felt." Ash started, giving Zansei an icy stare. "You viziers have been nothing but trouble since we've met. So far you've been the only one who is willing to actually talk to us instead of try to kill us. Its because of you guys and these damn shards that Satoshi is dead! And now you have the nerve to ask for my trust and help? Why would I want to help a bunch of murderers and bullies!?"

An uncomfortable silence enveloped the room after Ash's outburst. Zansei's eyes fell to the floor, at a loss. "Y-yeah...I can't really argue that. Man, we really screwed the pooch on this one."

Soma cracked open an eye to glance at Zansei. For a moment, Ash caught a hesitant frown on his face before it turned into irritation. "...Damn it to hell." Groaning, the tigernoid moved to get out of bed, catching Zansei and Ash's attention.

"Soma? What are you-"

"Not a word, Zansei. Not a single one." Soma's eyes were focused on Ash as he stood before him. The injuries from their battle caused his movements to be jerky and awkward, barely able to stand straight. Ash threw up his hands in defense, waiting for Soma to say or do something violent. Again, Soma managed to surprise him

Dropping on one knee, Soma gave a deep and respectful bow to Ash, an act that stunned both Ash and Zansei. "My actions are my own, so don't blame the others for it. If you're going to hate anyone, hate me. I won't make excuses for what I did, but I will take responsibility for the actions of my comrades and as well as my own. As long as it does not endanger us or our mission, I will do whatever it takes to restore your faith in the viziers. If you choose to help us after we tell you what we know, I swear on my life and honor to atone for my actions."

"Damn, Soma. Just...damn." Zansei continued to stare in shock, a mix of sadness and pity in his eyes. Soma's actions, especially considering his personality, were both inspiring and agonizing to watch.

"Soma...?" Ash was taken back. It did not seem like he was lying or trying to catch Ash off guard. Under any other circumstances Ash would have forgave him. But that moment of anguish of Satoshi's face when he was sliced in half was cemented in his conscious. This was a start, but Ash could not bring himself to let it go. "Sorry doesn't change what you did to Satoshi, even if he could be brought back."

"I'm not apologizing for Satoshi, and never will." Ash's anger spiked at those words. His fist trembled, tempted to punch him in the face. "He died in the most honorable way possible; fighting for what he believed in. I don't disrespect true warriors."

Ash found himself unable to figure Soma out, which helped to curb his frustration. While Ash did not agree with his philosophy he was able to give him some level of respect. Perhaps there was more to Soma than he saw at first glance, even if he was blunt and aggressive. Ash needed some time before he could truly forgive him, but as long as Soma stayed true to his word, Ash knew he would eventually learn to move on. His eyes went to Pikachu who gave him a concerned glance; this would be Ash's only chance to get some answers. And if they were telling the truth, not only would they be saving Satoshi, but also keeping the Final Destiny from falling into the wrong hands. At the very least, he could keep an eye on them to make sure they stuck to their story. As Ash contemplated his decision he used the time he had to look back on everything that happened so far.

Since this journey for the Final Destiny shards started it was one crazy event after another with no signs of slowing down. The viziers, final destiny shards, the mark of Ballom, team nova, team shadow, and so many other things that turned Ash's adventurous life upside down. Everything was so far over his head, but the biggest eye opener was Satoshi's death. Despite throwing the blame at Soma, Ash knew deep down he played a major role in Satoshi's demise. And unless something changed, unless he changed, history would repeat itself.

A dark thought entered Ash's mind, chilling him. It was fortunate Satoshi had a chance of coming back, but what if someone else died because of him? What would he have done if Brock or Misty were in Satoshi's place? The word liability came back to haunt him. It was why Satoshi died. It was the reason Misty and Brock were put in so much danger and were almost killed when they first fought Soma. He was the liability. Until he was strong enough to protect those close to him, the chance of him watching someone else die before him was real, and terrifying. The big question was how he would go about doing that?

That was when Ash realized his answer. "Alright, I'll join you guys, but I have a few conditions..."

Hours passed as night fell over Cerulean City. The excitement and thrill the tournament brought to Cerulean City had long since left, its tranquil nights making their triumphant return. With visiting hours over for the day, Misty and Brock were forced to leave the hospital and spend the night at the Cerulean Gym. Since Ash's disappearance they searched top to bottom for Ash, finding no clues to his location. The only place they were unable to search was Soma's room in the hospital, but Zansei sealed it off, leaving them with no other option but to leave Ash be.

Brock retired to the guest bedroom after helping to get everyone's belongings packed for the road. Strangely, Ash's belongings were the only ones missing, adding more questions and worry in their minds. Confident he would return eventually, Brock called it a night. Misty was not so fortunate. Sitting by the window in the room, Misty sighed as she gazed at the clear night sky, her lips forming a thin line and eyebrows arched in annoyance and restlessness.

"Misty, with all do respect, you're going to get wrinkles if your face stays that way any longer." Kasumi's poor attempt at humor had no effect on the troubled teen.

"He's been acting weird since he woke up. I can't figure out what's wrong with him."

"The boy's suffered much since that tournament started. Perhaps he just needs the night to himself."

"Two weeks, Kasumi." Misty spat in frustration. "I haven't been able to say a word to him in two weeks, and the moment he wakes up he starts acting wierd and then runs away from us. I know I was pretty harsh during our match, but he could've at least talked to us about it."

"Considering what Brock told us, it does confirm a suspicion. Ash took that battle against you particularly hard, and then lost Satoshi who gave his life to protect him...that bastard..." Kasumi whispered the last portion vehemently to herself, "Not to mention he was marked by the god of devils, which is a terrifying ordeal. To top it all off...you called him an idiot."

The last comment got Misty's attention, who stared at her spiritual companion incredulously. "B-but I always call him an idiot!"

"And you should be ashamed, but that's besides the point." Said the woman who insulted Satoshi on a daily basis, "Surely you noticed it too. It struck quite a cord."

"I..." Misty recalled her last conversation with Ash. When Misty called him an idiot, a look of sheer disappointment and shame was on his face. Whatever went through his mind, Ash took her words personally. Misty's mood soured at the thought. "I would've apologized if I knew he would get that offended. But I call him an idiot all the time, so it doesn't make sense that he would get all sensitive about it now."

"Doesn't change his negative reaction to it. Considering everything that's happened between you two, a more...diplomatic approach would be preferable next time. Alas, there is no point in thinking too much on it. I'm sure he will return to us tomorrow."

"All of his stuff is missing though. What if he decides to leave us? Maybe he hates me for how I acted in our battle earlier..."

"Misty. Hush." Kasumi placed her ghostly fingertips on Misty's lips, signaling silence. "Thinking like that won't get us anywhere. Ash is capable of many things, but I highly doubt he would ever hate you. Now enough worrying; you will need to rest so we can perform a more thorough search for Ash tomorrow. We may very well get our answers then."

"Okay, you win. I will get some sleep." Misty sighed in defeat, slipping from her chair by the window to her bed. "Thanks for the talk, Kasumi. Sorry if I got angry at you."

"I would be a terrible ancestor if I couldn't keep an eye on you."

Misty giggled. "I appreciate it all the same. Good night, Kasumi." As Misty began drifting off to sleep, she muttered a low whisper to herself. "Good night Ash. Please be okay."

Kasumi smiled to herself as she watched Misty drift to sleep. "Children these days. Never a dull moment." Her ghostly image faded, entering her private spiritual chamber inside Misty's mind to rest. Tomorrow promised to be an eventful day.

A minute of silence passed before a shadow in the room shifted from the moonlight. It began to take shape and extrude from the ground, taking the form of a human figure. Like mist the shadows evaporated, revealing a crestfallen Ash. "Sorry for being such a pain you guys." He whispered to himself as he carefully made his way to Misty's bedside. Plans were made and Ash had an important task to do before then. Soma gave him specific instruction for what he was about to do, to which he needed to recall the steps.

_"Auras?"_

_"Yeah. Gimme a second and I will explain it. Give me your hand." When Ash did as told, Soma clasped his hands around his and closed his eyes. maintaining a state of focus. Ash could feel heat from his palms to the point of almost causing him pain. The heat traveled throughout his body for a moment before dispersing. Soma released him soon after, revealing a cog shaped red tattoo before it fated into the back of Ash's hand. "There. The other viziers shouldn't cause a fuss with you now." Noting the look of confusion on Ash's face, Soma continued. "Let's see...to put it in a way you could understand it..." A mischievous glint flashed in his eyes upon hitting an idea. Leaning forward, a devious grin appeared on his lips. "Ever noticed how Misty's hair smells like oranges?"_

_"Oranges? I always thought it had an strawberry sort of smell to it..."_

_"Exactly. That's how we can secretly tell people apart, but with magic."_

_"Oh...!" Ash's eyes lit up with clarity as he comprehended Soma's explanation. "So basically the other viziers would be able to know whose a friend and...wait..." It wasn't until Ash fully comprehended Soma's explanation that his face flared red. "I-It's not what you think! It was an accident! I was curious!" He flailed in a panic._

_"...You're gonna be a fun one." Soma smirked mischievously. "I'll show you how to do it so you can give it to your friends too. It should work as long as you're using the Aura I gave you." _

"He could've found a better way to explain it." Ash's blush darkened as he gently reached out to clasp Misty's hand. A red aura shimmered around her hand, embedding a cog symbol on her hand momentarily before it faded into her skin. His grasped lingered, hesitant to let go of her hand. Her hands were smooth, slender fingers fitting perfectly in his hands.

_'Come on, get it together Ash!'_ Forcing himself to release her hand, Ash slowly took off his prized baseball cap and placed it on her night table, along with his pokedex. His eyes traveled to Misty's tranquil face. His eyes darted between the window and Misty, torn by indecision. He needed to leave before she woke up, but he had one last, personal goal to achieve here. "...You only live once, right?" With careful movements Ash leaned over to place a gentle kiss on her forehead, his face burning red. "I'll be back soon. I promise." Ash left as quickly as he came, disappearing in a mist of black smoke.

On a grassy patch outside Misty's home Ash materialized out of the shadows, his face still red despite his determined expression. "Alright, I'm ready to go. Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Good. Hope you're prepared for the road ahead. I'm not here to babysit ya." Soma warned as he threw Ash his backpack. Pikachu, who waited along with Soma, scampered back to Ash's shoulder.

"I know. Let's get going, Soma." The two took for the main road, making their way to the next destination. There was no telling what would happen on his travels with Soma, but Ash knew that no matter what, he would see it through.

"So Ash...did her hair smell of strawberries this time?"

"S-shut up!"


	2. Chapter 2

The discovery of Ash's hat and pokedex confirmed Misty and Brock's fears: Ash left them.

Immediately after finding Ash's items, Misty and Brock scattered all over the city to pick up any trail Ash might have left. He was oddly thorough covering his tracks, especially for someone whose popularity shot up after the martial arts tournament. No one saw where he went, or even knew that he left the hospital. Yielding no results after hours of searching they returned to Misty's home in defeat, mulling over the situation while snacking on Brock's riceballs for lunch in the dining room. Ash's disappearance left an uncomfortable void, turning what usually was an enjoyable lunch into an unnervingly quiet meal. Despite the many questions and doubts on everyone's minds, one question took priority to answer.

"So what now?" Misty left the question in the air, somber eyes cast down on her plate.

"Without clues or a way to find Ash, moving forward without him is our only option. We can't afford to wait for him." Kasumi suggested.

Brock's brow furrowed in frustration. "I want to agree with you Kasumi, but Ash disappearing on us worries me. I've known him to distance himself from us if he was really upset, but never once left us like this. I feel like there's more to this than we're seeing."

"I can't blame you for being concerned." Takeshi cupped his chin, wearing a thoughtful expression. "I'm also worried about the lack of intervention from Soma and Zansei. Can't say I trust Soma, but Zansei was rather cordial with us. The fact none of them could be found during our search speaks volumes. I wonder if there's some sort of connection."

"The viziers..." At the mention of Viziers Misty began contemplating. Since the start of the journey they had caused them nothing but trouble and pain. Zansei was the only one who did not seem hostile. In fact, Zansei was friendly towards them, which in turn made her wonder something she never thought about until now. "Zansei said something about the viziers not being organized. Kasumi, Takeshi, didn't you two mention something about them being part of your nations in some way?"

Kasumi nodded. "Yes. Both guardians and viziers are chosen by fate to act as vanguards for our respective empires and elements."

"My memory has been slowly returning. It's vague, but I remember fighting with some fellow viziers against some of the others. Can't put my fingers on any names or faces though." Takeshi added.

"Now, if I'm remembering this correctly, your empires were fighting against each other some point before you guys got sealed in the GS ball. I didn't think about this until now, but it seems like the viziers are kind of all over the place and trying to find and help each other rather than attack. Almost as if-"

Brock gasped, struck with an epiphany. "They're all uniting under a single purpose; finding the shards!"

"I think we should look into this, and we'll start with Soma and Zansei. The sooner we get answers, the quicker we can figure out this crazy mess." Misty stood from her chair, eyes burning with purpose. "Besides, they have a lot to answer for with what's happened. I can't sit by and let them get away with what Soma did to Satoshi."

"I..." Kasumi hesitated, conflicted emotionally. Hearing Satoshi's name gave her immediate discomfort, but shrugged it off after a small pause. "I agree this is worth looking into. At the very least to discover their true motives and threat assessment. Though if I had a choice of what to do with them..."

"Let's cross that bridge when we get to it." Brock could sense the unstable tension in Misty and Kasumi. If they went in alone, there was no telling what they would be tempted to do. He was also upset with the circumstances up until this point, but understood what priorities needed to come first. The need for being level-headed was paramount. "I'm coming along as well. We're all in this together after all."

"I know they were still here yesterday. Hopefully we can still find them." Misty wolfed down the last bit of riceball on her plate before heading to the front door, Brock following close behind. Their advance was halted when Misty opened the door, greeted by an equally surprised Zansei.

"Oh...oh man. Well, this is kinda awkward." Zansei chuckled nervously, caught completely off guard.

"Zansei!" Both Misty and Brock exclaimed.

"Yeah, uh, hello! Mind if I come in to talk with you guys for a sec?"

Misty and Brock glanced at each other dumbfounded. It was both convenient and complicated that Zansei came to meet with them instead of vice versa. The ground vizier didn't seem to come for a fight, though the glaive hanging on his back did show his preparedness, as did the large traveling backpack. "What did you want to talk about?" Misty asked cautiously, not sure where to be curious or suspicious.

"A couple of things. I'll explain once we have a safe place to talk."

"Alright. In that case, let's talk at my gym's pool. That should be safe enough." Misty motioned Brock and Zansei to follow her out the house and around the building, heading for her favorite battleground; the cerulean gym. She felt far more comfortable bringing Zansei somewhere she could fight freely if it came to it.

The three sat along the white bleachers where many cerulean citizens would watch Misty's gym battles from, Zansei sitting between the two who kept a short distance from him. Whatever news Zansei was about to tell them kept a beaming grin on his face. "Alright, now I got some good news, and some great news. But first thing's first;" Zansei grew serious for a moment as he got on one knee before Misty and Brock, bowing to them apologetically. "On behalf of all the viziers, I want to apologize for all the grief we caused you all. I know you guys probably don't think much of us now, and I completely understand if you feel like you'll never forgive us. It's a little complicated with the viziers at the moment, but I'll do whatever it takes to make up for everything we've done. We all will, and I swear to make sure of that personally."

"You'll have to try harder much than that to earn my forgiveness." Kasumi spat.

Misty tossed her spirit a stern stare. "Kasumi!"

"Nah, its fine Misty. I know we deserve it for acting like morons." Zansei's expression grew brighter as he continued. "But thanks to my diplomatic skills, I've solved that problem. You guys are officially on our vizier buddy list. It took some convincing, but you don't have to worry about us breathing down you necks like before. It's now clear that you guys are not planning to use the final destiny for some crazy scheme; in fact, you got the same plan as us to keep it from the real bad guys."

"So in other words, we have an alliance? No more attempts at our lives for the shards?" Brock asked.

"Yup! Well, I can't take all the credit for myself. Ash helped set up the alliance. It was quite the scene, lemme tell ya."

"You saw Ash?" Hearing Ash's name instantly improved Misty's mood, anxious and worried to hear the details. "What did he say? Is he alright?"

Brock, though also relieved, seemed more concerned about what Zansei said. "What do you mean it was a scene? What happened to Ash?"

"Alright, alright, lemme just start from the beginning." Zansei motioned the two to sit back in their seats and calm down. " Soma and I just happened to be talking about you guys, figuring out what to do when Ash appeared out of nowhere in our room. Don't tell him I said this, but he was in tears, crying to his pikachu about not wanting to be a burden and stuff. Poor guy was in rough shape." Misty winced, feeling guiltier by the second. Brock stole a quick glance at Misty before returning his focus to Zansei. "Anyway, after some chatting Ash agreed to create an alliance with us to help get the shards away from the bad guys and get all the viziers together, our main goal. Of course, he gave us some conditions before agreeing to join. One of those conditions was to make sure you guys were well protected while he's gone, which is why I'm here." Standing up, Zansei gave a playful bow to Misty and Brock. "Zansei, badass vizier, awesome navigator and your personal bodyguard, at your service."

"I see..." Brock gave Zansei an approving nod. "So as part of the condition of this alliance, you'll be traveling with us to keep us safe?"

"You got it! Although, I still have to do my part of finding the other viziers and grabbing the remaining shards. But if you guys are helping us do it, then it makes sense for me to stick with you guys and keep you two safe. Trust me, before long you'll find me to be the best damn thing that ever happened to ya."

"Hold on. You said something about while Ash's gone. How long will you be with us?" Misty asked, suspicious about the circumstance Ash left them in. Zansei grew visibly nervous, scratching the side of his head.

"Oh, uh...I will be with you guys until Ash regroups with you guys. He'll be back before you know it."

"Zansei..." Kasumi growled with impatience. "You're avoiding the question."

"What question? I'm not avoiding any question."

"Yes you are!" Misty grew more irritated by the second. Kasumi's glare accompanied Misty's. "If you want us to trust you, you have to be upfront about it. Now where is Ash?"

Brock leaned over to Zansei, speaking in a whisper. "I don't know why you're trying to hide it, but if you don't tell us what's really going on with Ash, I can't promise to keep you safe from her wrath."

"That serious, huh?" Brock's silence was all the convincing Zansei needed. Zansei glanced between Brock and Misty, mentally weighing his options before conceding. "Okay, I give. I'm not supposed to tell you guys this, it was part of the conditions I promised. You two have to swear not to let them know I spilled the beans."

"Fine, I promise. Just hurry up and tell us what's going on with Ash!" Misty's anxiety was getting the better of her, bursting with curiosity and worry.

"Sheesh, so pushy. Kidding! Kidding!" Zansei raised his hand in defense upon seeing the dangerous glint in Misty's eyes. She was definitely serious business about Ash. "Ash is currently traveling with Soma. The two left last night."

"What!?" Both Brock and Misty exclaimed. Even the spirits were dumbfounded with this knowledge.

"I know, right? Crazy as it sounds, there is no one's hands Ash is safer in. I guarantee you Soma will protect Ash with his life if it comes to it. I know Soma has done some terrible things, but he is definitely a man of his word."

"Even though you say that, we can't forget that this is the man that killed Satoshi. How could you two have possibly coerced Ash into traveling with such a man?" Kasumi asked incredulously.

"Let's just say Ash has a very, very important reason to do so. I'm sorry, I can't say anymore than that. All I can say is that he is in safe hands and has an important mission to take on. As a man, I have to respect his wishes. Brock, you get me, right?"

Brock groaned inwardly. "Yeah, I get ya. This also seems like something Ash would do given what's happen. As long as Ash is safe, that's what matters."

"I don't know how you could agree with this so easily." Misty tossed an irate stare at Brock. "Something was going on with Ash the moment he woke up. He looked so different and troubled. You had to have noticed something was wrong."

"I know, Misty, I know. But I'm willing to trust Ash on this one. He wouldn't go this far without a good reason."

"But..." Misty faltered, Brock's words sinking in. It was doubtful Zansei would say anymore on the matter, and while a part of her trusted Ash, there were too many things going on with him that would put him in danger. There were other reasons she needed to see him again, words that needed to be said. The thought of trusting Ash to a violent bruiser like Soma made her more worried than relieved despite Zansei's praise. At the moment, there was little she could do other than pray that Zansei was telling the truth and put all her hopes into Ash surviving his ordeal. "Fine. I'll put up with it until we find Ash."

Zansei smiled lightly. "It'll all work out, so don't sweat it. In the meantime, we have our own mission to take care of. We still need to find the rest of the shards on Kanto, and if we can, get in contact with the other viziers so they can help us. The more the merrier." Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Sounds like a plan, but where do we start? Should we go through Saffron City? Might be a chance to find some shards or viziers there." Brock suggested.

Zansei shook his head. "The entire city had been locked down recently. Apparently there's some crazy stuff going on there that they had to place all of Saffron under martial law. Skimmed the details a bit, but definitely not a place we should go to for now."

Misty gasped. "Oh no. I hope Sabrina and everyone is going to be alright."

"Yeah, me too. But if the area is blocked off, then there's nothing we can do about it. Heh, feels like that's becoming a habit of mine lately." Brock muttered the last statement to himself as he stared down at his clenched hands. Despite his passive expression, his muscles were tensed. He turned to Takeshi, who placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Even though he could not feel the hand, Brock visibly relaxed at the gesture, wearing a weak grin.

"Actually, there's a place I want to check out. Have you guys been to Lavender town?" A collective sigh emanated from Brock and Misty at Zansei's question. "Should I take that as a yes?"

"The last time we went there...things happened. Can't believe we have to actually go through that again." Misty grimaced. Considering that Ash died the last time they went there, there was no telling the kind of luck they would have during their second run.

"On the bright side, we have ghost of our own who can probably keep those ghost pokemon away from us." Brock said.

Takeshi chuckled lightly. "So now we're ghost that hunts other ghost? Can't say I was expecting that."

"Never a dull moment with us." Despite Kasumi's tired tone, there was a small smile on her lips.

"Sounds like those ghost are bad news. But I'm sure you guys can whip their ass if they cause you problems now. Especially since I'm here." Zansei boasted proudly. "And I've already mapped out the route for us to get there. It'll be easy once we breeze through the Rock Tunnel."

"The Rock Tunnel? I've heard there's been a lot of excavation going on in those tunnels. There's even rumors of a powerful and dangerous pokemon attacking people there. It'll be easy to get lost if we're not careful, not to mention if the rumors about that pokemon are true." Misty warned.

"Hey, I'm not the ground vizier for nothing. Don't know much about pokemon, but navigating the land is kinda my thing. Can't tell you how many times I've saved Soma from getting lost. If it wasn't for me he would've been completely lost."

"Wait..." Brock glanced worriedly at Zansei. "Are you telling me that Soma has a bad sense of direction?"

"Absolutely terrible. The guy can barely navigate his ass to a toilet seat, let alone find his way around Kanto. But I'm sure we got nothing to worry since Ash is with him, right?" An eerie, ominous silence fell over them, Misty and Brock's mouths agape in shock. A sudden sense of foreboding washed over Zansei. "Uh...r-right? Guys?"


End file.
